Entitlement Attitudes, Fragile Mindset, and the Next Generation of Preppers

Millenials (Generation Y), the iGen generation, and younger people in general seem to be taking a beating in many studies and news reports. Entitlement and fragility seem to be a recurring theme. I haven’t been around that long (Gen X here), but I’ve been around long enough to see each new generation get critiqued by the preceding generation(s).

Fair? I don’t know, but I find myself doing the same thing at times, particularly when it comes to prepping. “Prepping” in this case, isn’t the accumulation of beans, bullets, and Band-aids, but mindset and fortitude. These are the areas where younger generations seem to be struggling.

Instead of turning toward personal responsibility and hard work ethic, America’s youth seems to be turning toward what others owe them. Under this belief system, where is the incentive to build and create what you want on your own? This is an essential life skill and personal attribute, let alone a key to the prepper mindset.

Fragile Mindset

Couple a sense of entitlement with an easily-offended, fragile mindset, and you have a double whammy. You can see it everywhere today. College students need “safe spaces” where they can retreat to if a conflicting view or stance causes them unease. Isn’t that one of the very points of college – to hash concepts out? The term “snowflake” is being used for a reason. Granted, it can be a politically charged term meant to discount a liberal’s stance on some issue, but there is also an element of truth to it. If college students at Cornell have a “cry in” and use Play-Doh as therapy after a Trump victory – is it not fair to call them fragile? I can understand being angry if your side doesn’t win, even said, but a cry in with Play-Doh?

Now I see complaints about the new Huckleberry Finn movie adaptation incorporating the “N word.” This is a prime example of the problem. Whether the complaints are attributable to newer generations or not, I believe it’s likely. People today are so ready to pounce on any seemingly racist issue that they lose the bigger picture. The bigger picture, in this specific case, is that Huckleberry Finn is a satire AGAINST racism. Using the “N word” is exactly how people spoke then (and some do today). “Protecting” people from its exposure doesn’t help anyone. Read: I’m not advocating people start using the word – it IS rooted in racism and it IS a terrible term – but if we’re so quick to shout it down in the context of a movie ABOUT racism (and slavery), what good does that do anyone? Fragile mindset.

Compare these generations to the ones before us, where hard work and a strong sense of independence were the dominant traits. You wanted something – you went out and made it happen.

What would happen to newer generations in a severe economic downturn? Entitlement leads to increased levels of depression when we expect X but get Y. What would happen in a societal collapse when these generations see and hear things that are … more than offensive? Would their minds break?

Prepping is more than the collection of goods. It’s the building of skills. It’s a proper survival mindset. Indeed, the next generations could be the least prepared generations … ever.

im preparing for any kind of situation that will come up, i know my natural mindset is survival and these younger generational people always want things that is not crucial for survival…its styck on materials that won’t help keep them alive, i know ive got a live or die attitude from when i was born but ive had to learn to survive when i had nothing so these younger people need to let their materialistic ways go and start having a live or die mindset for the future and start preparing themselves now

Please let me cut the chase and be blunt…It’s hopeless. The young people have permanently lost their way, and that’s the good news. The bad: They have pulled us down with them. I’m 64, and a typical conversation with my age group goes along these lines (most of the time). “We can’t take a real vacation this year because our son/daughter has moved back in with us, and our grandson/daughter was busted for drugs and we put up the bail…our granddaughter is pregnant, her boyfriend in on drugs and we are “helping her out” to get ready for motherhood.” I could go on forever with this, but everyone gets the picture. Without exception, each and every family in America has at least one dud, and usually more, and the duds rule. Either directly or indirectly they drag all of us to the bottom. To level the playing field my generation had its fair share of duds too, but we bounced their lazy asses to the curb and drove away and left them to their own devices. After a few days of braving the elements it was amazing to see their attitude change. But of course we didn’t have entitlements in those days and the WW2 veteran lead the family instead of whining about ptsd and the never ending “we served the country” sympathy pleas. Nowadays we must by “Church Orders” love everyone, because “What would Jesus do?” Well, the Bible says, “Those that don’t work, should not eat!” To me that is a Biblical instruction directly from Christ Himself, and to feed people that refuse to work is a grievous sin. Unqualified, misguided love destroys all around it, so preppers, please stop it. Qualify your friends, relatives, and associates. If they don’t measure up to prepper standards to survive teotwawki or at least give it the good ole American try, then why oh why endanger everything you have work and labored to achieve.Simply walk away and leave them to retreat to their safe rooms. All of you need to stop and realize that life, including yours, is always on the edge of death and no place is safe anymore, so it makes no sense at all to continue to stack the deck against yourself by allowing these people to stay in your life and mooch off of you or kill you when the lights go out. Christ bless and best wishes to all. Get tough, thanks

You are so correct on this. So many of the youth of today have no idea how to prepare a meal without a microwave or the new boxed meals. They have no concept of ‘made from scratch’ or meal planning, gardening, basic first aid, or other skills needed in a SHTF situation. Whether that situation is man made or a natural disaster they would be at a total loss.
As preppers we need to be aware of them and realize that in a SHTF situation these will be the first ones to begin looting and rioting for what they feel is their ‘entitlement’. We need to know who these people are and where they are in relationship to our family and circle of friends so that we can either be prepared to teach them the skills they need or protect ourselves from them.

OK, but all those young people that don’t know how to cook from scratch or garden or perform first aid….all had parents who failed to teach them.

All these young people who have to move back home because they got pregnant out of wedlock or don’t work or have too much debt….have parents that CHOOSE to let them in the door and CHOOSE to open their checkbooks.

If the current generation of young people is such a failure at being prepared for the worst, much of the blame lies on parents who GAVE them entitled childhoods. You can’t hold that against a young person – they’re just living how their parents taught them.

Every new generation is criticized as useless & doomed. I’m old enough to have seen this over & over. And may I say it isn’t the kids that come up with this – they’re not making the movies or developing “quiet space”, it’s their elders. I’m a child of the sixties – talk about your crazy generation! My dad was part of the Roaring 20s when young people were driving “fast” cars & girls were cutting their hair! Time will tell but it seems every generation comes out on the other side & this old world keeps turning. Kids can’t feel entitled unless someone is entitling them. Give them room to grow.

I agree with many of the comments about the entitled generation; and yet, I have 3 wonderful grown kids (and nearly all their friends) who all support themselves, and are responsible, hard working, intelligent, and most importantly resilient. I know there are a many kids out there like mine, but they simply aren’t newsworthy because they aren’t disrespectful, criminal, rioting, looting, or wrecking havoc. When times are tough many (but not all) young people will eventually rise to the challenge, simply because they have no other choice.

You made a comment that seems to imply Liberal folks are inferior and doomed. I’m a hard core independent. Know folks from both sides. My opinion is that there was a spell when guilty feeling parents thought they could make up being a bad working parent by being friends with little kids and giving free rein and endless praise. Not to mention the village went away because no one is ever allowed to correct their kid. Big change from the 50s. Also think this mindset of if you didn’t vote for my guy makes you at best slime. Ridiculous and destroying our culture. I liked it better when political views were mostly kept private and politicians knew the words respect, compromise and worked together. I’m old and miss plain ol fashion manners.

If you are saying “you” as in me (versus another commenter), I’m not sure where I made that statement, or implied it, but if so, it was not intended that way. I’m a hardcore independent as well, and agree with your observations/thoughts on today’s political climate, that too many people are demonize people on the opposite side of the political aisle of them. We used to be better able to have frank, non-emotional conversations on politics, without resorting to name calling.

I just wanted to comment on how spot on your article is. My oldest daughter is a Gen X but my youngest is a Millenial. Two totally different personalities and mindsets. My youngest has special needs and is living on government assistance for her issues. My oldest is the main Manager of a corporation. But, because I have raised them both the same, they do see what is going on and how millenials are so fragile. My youngest, I think, would still do well in a preparedness situation. She sees how we are prepping, has her own bug out bag, and has stockpiled some canned goods on her own. We do stockpile, ourselves, for her as well, because we know in an emergency, she will be needing our help. My point is this: Raising your children to be aware and prepared (my oldest has a great prep plan in place!) is the key. If all you are doing is coddling your children and trying to be their friend and not their parents, then you are allowing them to become spoiled, dependent and fragile. I truly worry for the future of this country when it’s the millenial’s turn to lead and I pray that the few who were raised right get the chance to lead.
I do want to say thank you for posting this article because of it’s importance and timeliness. Great job!

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MEET GAYE

I'm Gaye, just an ordinary gal trying to make sense of our changing world. I am addicted to prepping, DIY projects, adult coloring books, and ballroom dancing. I live what I call a strategic life and believe you should too. Everyone needs to prepare for the worst and live for the best. Won't you join me?